1305 


Issued  December  9,  1910. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE. 


FARMERS'  BULLETIN  423. 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS 


BY 

WALTER  M.  MOORE, 

Forest  Assistant ,  Forest  Service , 

AND 

EDWIN  R.  JACKSON, 

Expert ,  Forest  Service. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

1910. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Office  of  Experiment  Stations, 

Washington ,  D.  C.,  August  2 4,  1910. 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  a  manuscript  entitled 
“  Forest  Nurseries  for  Schools,”  which  was  prepared  by  Walter  M. 
Moore  and  Edwin  R.  Jackson,  of  the  Forest  Service,  under  the 
direction  of  Dick  J.  Crosby,  specialist  in  agricultural  education  of 
this  Office,  and  has  been  submitted  to  this  Office  by  the  Forester  for 
publication  in  the  agricultural  education  series. 

The  suggestions  made  in  this  manuscript  are  particularly  valu¬ 
able  to  rural-school  teachers,  since  they  clearly  describe  a  form  of 
school-garden  work  or  elementary  agriculture  which  is  applicable  to 
all  parts  of  the  country,  and  which,  if  properly  conducted,  will  be  of 
greater  permanent  value  to  the  communities  served  than  almost 
any  other  form  of  school-garden  work.  I  therefore  recommend  the 
publication  of  this  manuscript  as  a  Farmers’  Bulletin. 

Respectfully, 


A.  C.  True, 

Director. 


Hon.  James  Wilson, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 


423 


CONTENTS 


Page. 

Introduction .  5 

General  suggestions  for  the  school  nursery .  7 

When  to  begin  preparations .  7 

Extent  of  the  undertaking .  7 

Cooperation  between  schools .  7 

The  care  of  the  nursery  during  vacations .  8 

Collecting  tree  seeds .  9 

Kinds  of  seeds  to  collect .  9 

When  to  collect  the  seeds .  9 

How  to  collect  the  seeds .  10 

Storing  the  seeds .  10 

Preliminary  storage . 10 

Permanent  storage .  11 

Testing  the  seeds .  12 

Cutting  test .  12 

Germination  test .  12 

Preparing  the  seed  bed .  13 

Choosing  ground  for  the  nursery .  13 

Preparing  the  soil .  13 

Size  of  the  seed  bed  and  arrangement  of  seeds .  14 

Treatment  of  seeds  preparatory  to  planting .  14 

Planting  the  seeds . 14 

Time  for  planting .  14 

Sowing  the  seeds  in  the  seed  bed .  15 

Care  of  the  seed  bed  and  seedlings .  15 

Cultivation  of  the  seedlings  in  the  seed  bed .  15 

Watering  the  seedlings .  15 

Protection  of  the  seedlings  during  the  winter .  16 

Transplanting  the  seedlings  to  the  nursery  bed .  16 

Preparing  nursery  plantation  for  seedlings .  16 

Time  for  transplanting . 16 

Taking  up  the  seedlings .  17 

Pruning  the  roots  and  tops .  18 

Wrapping  and  packing .  18 

Planting  the  seedlings  in  the  nursery  bed .  19 

Cultivation  of  the  nursery  bed .  19 

Final  disposal  of  young  trees .  20 

Planting  on  school  grounds . : .  20 

Distribution  among  pupils  for  home  planting .  20 

Making  a  school  woodlot  or  forest  plantation .  20 

Sale  of  nursery  stock .  22 

Field  sowing .  23 

Growing  trees  from  cuttings .  23 

423 


3 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 


Fig.  1.  A  school  plantation  on  the  grounds  of  the  Moran  Street  School,  Joliet, 

Ill.  The  trees  were  grown  by  the  pupils  in  a  nursery  and  set  out  by 
them  on  the  school  grounds .  6 

2.  Honey-locust  seed  pods  thrown  down  by  the  wind;  this  shows  an  oppor¬ 

tunity  for  collecting  seeds .  10 

3.  Chestnut-oak  acorns  exposed  by  a  spring  forest  fire  after  lying  on  ground 

through  winter;  this  shows  the  germination  of  several  acorns  the  pre¬ 
vious  fall .  11 

4.  A  nursery  bed  should  be  located  where  the  seedlings  will  be  partially 

shaded .  17 

5.  A  small  nursery  of  broad-leaf  trees  suitable  for  school.  Rows  feet 

apart.  Each  row  contains  single  species,  as  indicated  by  the  label 
on  stake  at  end  of  row .  18 

6.  The  pupils  may  take  the  young  trees  home  and  set  them  out  along  the 

edge  of  the  garden  until  large  enough  to  be  set  out  in  permanent  sites . .  19 

7.  The  trees  in  the  nursery  bed  should  be  cultivated  frequently  to  keep 

down  weeds  and  to  loosen  the  soil .  20 

8.  The  trees  may  be  set  out  on  some  barren  hillside  or  plat  of  waste  land. .  22 

423 

4 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

In  recent  years  there  has  been  evident  a  decided  movement  toward 
the  introduction  of  nature  study  and  elementary  agriculture  into  the 
regular  work  of  the  public  schools.  One  of  the  most  popular  and 
interesting  features  of  this  movement  has  been  the  school  garden. 
The  large  number  of  schools,  both  rural  and  city,  which  have  estab¬ 
lished  gardens,  and  the  volume  of  literature  which  has  been  con¬ 
tributed  on  this  subject,  attest  the  importance  and  success  which  the 
school  garden  has  achieved  in  the  educational  world. 

Hitherto  most  school  gardens  have  been  devoted  exclusively  to  the 
growing  of  common  garden  vegetables  and  flowering  plants,  with 
here  and  there  the  introduction  of  new  species  as  an  additional  incen¬ 
tive  to  interest.  One  of  the  chief  difficulties  encountered  has  been 
that  most  of  the  plants  and  vegetables  suitable  for  cultivation  and 
demonstration  purposes  required  by  the  school  work  mature  or  reach 
their  most  interesting  stages  at  a  season  when  the  school  is  ordinarily 
closed  for  vacation.  Another  thing  which  has  tended  to  make  much 
school-garden  work  somewhat  unsatisfactory  is  that  after  the  work 
is  once  done  no  visible,  tangible  results  are  evident,  and  apparently 
no  lasting  good  is  accomplished  other  than  the  instruction  given  and 
the  knowledge  of  plant  life  which  may  have  been  acquired. 

A  school  nursery  for  the  propagation  of  forest  trees  offers  an  inter¬ 
esting  variation  from  the  usual  type  of  gardening  and  at  the  same 
time  overcomes  the  difficulties  just  mentioned.  The  crop  of  the 
forest  nursery  is  one  which  does  not  disappear  with  the  close  of  the 
season,  but  instead  the  young  trees  need  only  to  be  transferred  from 
the  nursery  bed  to  some  new  location  on  lawns  or  school  grounds  to 
become  permanent  evidence  of  the  work  done  and  a  lasting  tribute 
to  the  school  (fig.  1).  Furthermore,  this  work  of  transplanting  the 
trees  is  best  done  early  in  the  spring  when  the  school  is  in  session  and 
at  its  best  so  far  as  the  interest  of  the  pupils  is  concerned.  In  this 
way  the  forest  nursery  is  even  more  adaptable  to  school  use  than  is 
the  ordinary  garden. 

423 


5 


6 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


A  nursery  on  the  lines  laid  down  in  this  circular  will  not  require  any 
more  labor  and  attention  than  a  garden,  if  as  much,  with  the  possible 
exception  that  there  is  the  added  necessity  of  collecting  and  storing 
the  tree  seeds  through  the  winter.  However,  if  this  is  found  imprac¬ 
ticable,  tree  seeds  may  be  purchased,  just  as  vegetable  seeds  are, 
from  dealers.  The  actual  work  of  caring  for  the  nursery  is  practically 
the  same  as  that  required  for  the  care  of  the  garden.  The  ground 
for  the  seed  beds  is  prepared  in  the  same  manner,  and  the  seedlings 
require  about  the  same  amount  of  attention  that  the  vegetables  do. 

On  the  other  hand,  the 
results  will  be  much 
more  enduring  and  val¬ 
uable.  Besides  the  op¬ 
portunities  afforded  by 
the  nursery  for  study 
and  instruction,  the 
trees  which  are  success¬ 
fully  grown  will,  if  wise- 
lv  utilized,  be  a  source 
of  comfort,  beauty,  and 
even  profit  to  the  school 
or  community  for  years. 

The  plan  outlined  in 
this  bulletin  is  intended 
to  furnish  suggestions 
and  directions  by  which 
a  school  may  establish 
and  care  for  a  small 
nursery.  It  is  realized 
that  schools  will  seldom 
have  the  best  kind  of 
soil  available,  or  be  sup¬ 
plied  with  all  the  tools 
desirable  to  do  this 
work  with  the  best  re¬ 
sults.  Consequently,  the  attempt  is  here  made  to  give  directions 
which  will  be  applicable  to  schools  with  very  limited  resources. 

It  is  intended,  further,  to  make  these  plans  usable  over  as  wide  a 
range  of  territory  as  possible.  Certain  localities,  with  unusual 
conditions  of  temperature  or  humidity,  will  undoubtedly  face  local 
problems  which  are  not  touched  upon  in  this  bulletin.  In  all  such 
cases  the  Forest  Service  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agri¬ 
culture  invites  correspondence  with  regard  to  the  difficulties  encoun¬ 
tered,  and  will  gladly  furnish  advice  and  suggestions  free  of  charge. 

42?. 


Fig,  1. — A  school  plantation  on  the  grounds  of  the  Moran  Street 
School,  Joliet,  Ill.  The  trees  were  grown  by  the  pupils  in  a 
nursery  and  set  out  by  them  on  the  school  grounds. 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


7 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  THE  SCHOOL  NURSERY. 

WHEN  TO  BEGIN  PREPARATIONS. 

The  first  work  of  preparation  for  the  school  nursery  must  usually 
be  done  in  the  autumn,  when  the  ground  should  be  broken  and  fer¬ 
tilized  to  make  ready  for  spring  planting.  Most  forest-tree  seeds 
must  be  collected  in  the  autumn  and  stored  through  the  winter. 
Hence  the  school  which  plans  to  establish  a  nursery  should  begin  to 
lay  plans  for  it  during  the  fall  term  in  order  to  have  everything  in 
readiness  for  work  the  following  spring. 

EXTENT  OF  THE  UNDERTAKING. 

Work  of  this  nature  should  never  be  undertaken  on  too  large  a 
scale.  If  too  many  seedlings  are  planted,  the  care  of  the  nursery 
may  prove  so  much  of  a  burden  that  the  students  will  find  no  pleasure 
in  it,  and  when  the  trees  are  grown  it  will  be  hard  to  dispose  of  them 
without  loss.  Should  the  trees  die,  the  natural  inference  on  the  part 
of  the  pupils  would  be  that  the  work  done  by  them  in  caring  for  the 
young  trees  was  useless.  This  would  defeat  the  purpose  of  the 
undertaking.  It  should  therefore  be  the  endeavor  of  each  school  to 
raise  but  a  few  trees  per  pupil,  but  to  grow  these  successfully  and  to 
transplant  all  of  them  with  the  smallest  possible  loss  to  permanent 
sites  on  the  school  grounds  or  about  the  homes  in  the  community 
for  shelter,  timber,  or  ornamental  purposes.  This  aim  must  be 
impressed  upon  the  pupils  if  the  lesson  of  the  value  of  forest  trees  is 
to  be  taught.  If  only  one  tree  per  pupil  is  grown,  but  every  one 
safely  transplanted  to  a  permanent  site  where  it  may  grow  into  use¬ 
fulness  and  beauty,  the  work  of  the  nursery  will  be  infinitely  more 
satisfactory  than  if  hundreds  of  seedlings  are  produced  and  many  of 
them  allowed  to  perish. 

COOPERATION  BETWEEN  SCHOOLS. 

It  will  add  greatly  to  the  pupils’  interest  in  the  tree  nurseries  if 
schools  located  in  different  parts  of  the  country  exchange  supplies  of 
tree  seeds.  It  is  suggested,  therefore,  that  each  school  endeavor 
to  communicate  with  some  other  school  situated  in  another  locality, 
and  by  exchange  secure  some  new  varieties  of  tree  seeds  and  intro¬ 
duce  these  new  and  unfamiliar  trees  into  the  community.  It  will  be 
much  more  interesting  for  the  pupils  to  watch  the  growth  of  a  strange 
type  of  tree  than  merely  to  produce  those  with  which  every  one  is 
already  familiar,  and,  should  the  experiment  be  successful,  these 
new  trees  may  be  made  to  serve  a  useful  purpose  if  they  are  awarded 
as  prizes  for  faithful  work  done  by  individual  pupils.  Care  must 
always  be  taken,  however,  not  to  experiment  too  much  with  trees 
which  are  not  likely  to  thrive  because  of  the  climate  or  other  local 
conditions. 


423 


8 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


The  Forest  Service  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 
will  be  glad  to  cooperate  in  this  work  by  putting  schools  desiring  to 
exchange  supplies  of  tree  seeds  in  communication  with  each  other, 
and  also  by  giving  free  advice  as  to  desirable  trees  adapted  to  each 
locality. 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  NURSERY  DURING  VACATIONS. 

One  of  the  most  difficult  problems  which  the  school  will  have  to 
solve  will  be  how  to  care  for  the  nursery  during  the  summer  vaca¬ 
tion.  It  will  not  do  to  leave  the  young  trees  which  were  planted 
during  the  spring  term  to  take  care  of  themselves  through  the  hot 
months  of  July  and  August  until  school  opens  again  in  September. 
Some  means  must  be  devised  to  protect  and  care  for  them  during  this 
time.  Just  how  this  will  be  accomplished  depends  largely  upon 
the  ingenuity  of  the  teacher  and  upon  local  conditions. 

It  is  evident  that  some  sort  of  an  organization  on  the  part  of  the 
pupils  whereby  they  shall  voluntarily  assume  the  duties  of  caring  for 
the  nursery  is  infinitely  more  desirable  than  any  other  plan,  because  it 
will  insure  the  continued  interest  and  attention  of  the  school  to  its 
project.  No  definite  outline  of  the  exact  form  which  this  organization 
shall  assume  is  possible  in  this  bulletin,  because  of  the  varying  con¬ 
ditions  surrounding  different  schools;  but  there  are  certain  things 
which  it  must  accomplish  in  order  to  serve  its  purpose  successfully. 
Provision  must  be  made  for  the  regular  cultivation  of  the  seedlings  by 
hoeing  and  weeding  once  or  twice  each  month,  or  oftener,  during  the 
summer.  They  must,  as  a  rule,  be  watered  with  more  or  less  fre¬ 
quency,  depending  upon  the  season.  If  the  site  of  the  seed  bed  is 
exposed  to  trespassers  or  to  the  depredations  of  animals,  it  must  be 
protected  by  fencing.  All  this  must  be  done  thoroughly  and  without 
fail  or  nothing  but  disappointment  will  come  of  the  undertaking,  and 
the  resulting  discouragement  will  be  worse  than  if  nothing  had  been 
done. 

How  to  accomplish  these  ends  will  be  a  problem  which  each  school 
will  have  to  work  out  for  itself.  Possibly  one  solution  would  be  the 
organization  of  a  “forestry  club”  composed  of  volunteer  “forest 
rangers”  whose  duties  shall  be  the  protection  and  care  of  the  trees, 
just  as  the  government  officers  look  after  the  trees  of  the  National 
Forests.  These  clubs  may  be  the  means  of  doing  much  good  through 
the  interest  which  they  arouse  in  general  forestry,  as  well  as  through 
the  practical  benefit  derived  from  the  nursery  itself.  The  clubs 
could  also  arrange  for  an  exchange  of  supplies  of  tree  seeds  and  even 
of  nursery  stock,  thus  doing  exactly  the  same  work  that  commercial 
nurseries  undertake  in  supplying  new  varieties  of  trees  suitable  and 
desirable  for  the  community. 

423 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


9 


COLLECTING  TREE  SEEDS. 

KINDS  OF  SEEDS  TO  COLLECT. 

In  deciding  what  kinds  of  seeds  to  collect  several  things  must  be 
considered.  Among  them  are: 

(1)  What  trees  will  grow  in  the  locality? — Only  those  trees  should 
be  raised  in  the  school  nursery  which  are  suited  to  the  local  climate. 
For  example,  trees  native  to  warm  regions  should  not  be  planted  in 
cold  climates,  nor  trees  which  require  much  moisture  in  arid  regions. 

(2)  Are  they  difficult  to  grow?  Do  they  require  much  care? — 
Conifers,  commonly  known  as  evergreens,  examples  of  which  are  the 
pines  and  spruces,  are  not  recommended  for  school  nurseries  because 
of  the  constant  care  and  attention  which  they  require  during  the  first 
season’s  growth.  The  common  broadleaf  trees  are  best  for  school 
growing,  since  most  of  them  can  be  grown  from  seed  with  a  minimum 
amount  of  attention. 

(3)  Will  the  trees  when  grown  serve  any  useful  purpose? — It  should 
always  be  the  aim  of  the  school  to  serve  the  community.  Trees 
should  be  selected  for  the  nursery  which  are  desirable  for  shade, 
fruit,  or  ornamentation,  or  which  will  produce  fuel  or  timber  if  trans¬ 
planted  to  the  field  or  woodlot. 

For  these  reasons  it  is  usually  well  to  collect  the  seeds  of  hardy 
species  of  broadleaf  trees  such  as  are  common  in  the  vicinity. 
Throughout  the  greater  portion  of  the  eastern  United  States  maples, 
locusts,  ashes,  elms,  oaks,  basswood,  hickories,  walnut,  cottonwood, 
boxelder,  and  yellow  poplar  are  among  the  best  for  planting.  In 
dry  regions,  such  as  the  western  parts  of  Nebraska,  Kansas,  Okla¬ 
homa,  and  Texas,  trees  must  be  selected  which  will  resist  drought. 
Black  locust,  green  ash,  osage  orange,  and  Russian  mulberry  are 
especially  suitable  for  this  purpose.  Nearly  all  the  trees  mentioned 
in  this  paragraph,  as  well  as  many  others,  such  as  magnolia,  redbud, 
willow  oak,  and  live  oak,  grow  successfully  in  the  Gulf  States. 
In  the  Pacific  Northwest,  while  some  difficulty  may  be  encountered 
in  collecting  seeds  from  native  broadleaf  trees,  any  of  the  group 
indicated  as  available  for  the  eastern  United  States  may  be  expected 
to  thrive. 

WHEN  TO  COLLECT  THE  SEEDS.* 

Most  tree  seeds  mature  in  the  fall,  and  must  be  gathered  as  soon 
as  they  ripen.  The  seeds  of  a  few  species,  such  as  silver  maple  and 
elm,  ripen  late  in  the  spring,  and  should  be  collected  then  and  imme¬ 
diately  planted,  since  they  soon  lose  their  vitality. 

a  See  planting  table,  p.  24. 

61393°— Bull.  423—10 - 2 


10 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


HOW  TO  COLLECT  THE  SEEDS. 

Tree  seeds  must  be  collected  chiefly  by  hand  picking.  Certain 
classes  of  them,  such  as  honey  locust  seeds,  acorns,  hickory  nuts, 
walnuts,  and  butternuts,  which  fall  readily  with  the  wind  and  frost, 
may  be  gathered  from  the  ground  after  they  have  fallen  (figs.  2  and  3). 
The  smaller,  thin-coated  seeds,  like  those  of  maples,  boxelder,  ashes, 
and  elms  should  be  picked  from  the  tree  by  hand  or  collected  from 
the  ground  as  soon  as  they  fall.  Since  the  first  seeds  which  fall  are 
often  sterile,  care  should  be  taken  to  collect  only  the  fertile  seeds 


which  fall  later.  Methods  of  testing  the  germination  of  seeds  are 
described  elsewhere  in  this  bulletin. 


STORING  THE  SEEDS. 


PRELIMINARY  STORAGE. 


Thick  hulls  like  those  of  the  walnuts  and  hickory  nuts  should  be 
dried  and  removed  and  the  nuts  spread  out  to  dry  in  some  cool,  airy 
place.  Pulpless  pods,  like  those  of  black  locust,  may  be  dried  and 
the  seeds  thrashed  out  with  a  flail.  Acorns  of  bur  oak  and  of  several 
other  species  of  oak  which  are  difficult  to  remove  from  their  cups 


Fig.  2. — Honey-locust  seed  pods  thrown  down  by  the  wind;  this  shows  an  opportunity  for  collecting 

seeds.  Maryland. 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


11 


may  well  be  left  in  storage  with  their  cups  attached.  Nearly  all 
seeds,  including  those  divested  of  hull  or  pulp,  should  be  dried 
slightly  to  prevent  molding.  Most  tree  seeds  will  be  gathered  a  few 
weeks  before  it  is  time  to  store  them  permanently  for  the  winter 
and  should  be  spread  out  to  dry  during  the  interval.  Nuts  and  acorns 
are  best  kept  on  a  dirt  floor.  All  should  be  examined  frequently 
for  signs  of  molding  or  of  too  much  drying.  If  the  seeds  are  molding 
they  should  be  spread  out  to  the  air  in  thinner  layers.  If  they  are 
drying  out  too  much  it  can  be  detected  by  cutting  into  the  seeds  and 
examining  the  kernels.  Any  shrinkage  of  the  kernels  will  indicate  a 
drying  out,  and  this  may  be  remedied  by  covering  the  seeds  with 
clean  sand  or  chaff. 


Fig.  3. — Chestnut-oak  acorns  exposed  by  a  spring  forest  fire  after  lying  on  ground  through  winter; 
this  shows  the  germination  of  several  acorns  the  previous  fall.  Maryland. 


PERMANENT  STORAGE. 

Acorns  and  other  nuts  are  best  stored  during  the  winter  by  being 
buried  in  sand  in  a  pit  out  of  doors.  This  pit  should  be  situated  on 
raised  ground  so  as  to  insure  good  drainage.  The  sides  of  the  pit 
should  be  lined  with  boards  or  stones  to  keep  out  mice  and  squirrels. 
Cover  the  bottom  with  a  layer  of  clean  sand  2  or  3  indies  deep.  On 
this  spread  a  layer  of  the  nuts,  then  another  layer  of  sand,  and  so  on 
until  all  the  seeds  are  stored.  Then  cover  the  whole  with  earth  to  a 
depth  of  from  4  to  6  inches.  To  prevent  washing  by  rains,  protect 
with  a  roof  of  boards  or  shingles.  Any  ordinary  freezing  which  takes 
place  during  the  whiter  will  not  damage  the  seeds,  but  rather  help  in 
opening  the  hard  shells,  thus  insuring  easy  germination  in  the  spring. 
Alternate  freezing  and  thawing,  however,  may  prove  disastrous  by 
destroying  the  vitality  of  the  seeds.  Seeds  which  have  been  frozen 

423 


12 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


should  be  planted  immediately  upon  being  removed  from  storage;  a 
few  hours’  exposure  may  prevent  the  germination  of  many  of  them. 

Another  method  of  storing  nuts  is  to  mix  them  with  a  small  quan¬ 
tity  of  dry  chaff  or  straw  and  place  them  in  a  closely  covered  wooden 
box.  This  box  should  then  be  sunk  into  the  ground  to  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  top,  and  earth  heaped  up  over  it  in  a  mound  so  as  to 
protect  its  contents  from  frost  and  rains.  It  should  be  located  on 
well-drained,  elevated  ground,  so  that  it  will  be  kept  dry.  This 
method  of  storage  is  simpler  than  the  11  stratification”  method 
described  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  and  is  likely,  under  ordinary 
conditions,  to  give  just  as  satisfactory  results.  It  is  an  especially 
desirable  method  in  the  Southern  States,  where,  during  mild  winter 
weather,  the  nuts  are  likely  to  sprout  if  buried  in  layers  of  sand. 

Seeds  such  as  those  of  mulberry,  catalpa,  osage  orange,  and  a  few 
other  trees  may  be  kept  in  good  condition  by  being  placed  in  sacks 
hung  in  a  cool,  dry  place  away  from  danger  of  injury  by  rats  and  mice. 

TESTING  THE  SEEDS. 

A  few  weeks  before  time  to  plant  the  tree  seeds  it  will  be  well  to 
test  them  in  order  to  see  if  they  have  retained  their  vitality  while  in 
storage.  It  is  important  that  this  be  done,  because  of  the  disappoint¬ 
ing  results  from  sowing  poor  seeds. 

CUTTING  TEST. 

Cut  or  break  open  a  number  of  seeds  and  examine  the  kernels.  If 
the  seeds  are  in  good  condition  for  growing,  the  kernels  will  be  plump 
and  firm.  If  the  kernels  are  withered,  the  seeds  are  unfit  for  planting, 
and  should  be  discarded  if  a  better  supply  can  be  obtained.  If  not, 
sow  them  more  thickly  than  customary. 

GERMINATION  TEST. 

The  only  accurate  way  to  determine  the  quality  of  seeds  is  by 
a  germination  test.  One  way  of  making  such  a  test,  which  can  be 
employed  conveniently  in  the  case  of  the  smaller  seeds,  is  to  count 
out  a  number  of  seeds  and  place  them  on  a  plate  between  two  folds 
of  moist  blotting  paper.  The  larger  the  number  of  seeds  used,  the 
more  accurate  will  be  the  results  of  the  test.  The  number  used 
will  of  course  depend  on  the  supply  at  hand.  If  there  is  a  plentiful 
supply  of  seeds,  at  least  100  should  be  used.  On  a  slip  of  paper  record 
the  variety  and  number  of  seeds  to  be  tested  and  the  date.  Place 
this  record  on  the  edge  of  the  plate.  Cover  the  whole  with  a  pane  of 
glass  or  another  plate  and  set  in  a  warm  room  (68°  to  86°  F.). 
Examine  the  seeds  every  twenty-four  hours  for  two  weeks,  or 
as  much  longer  as  may  be  necessary.  Keep  the  blotting  paper 
moist,  but  not  saturated  As  soon  as  the  seeds  are  well  sprouted, 

423 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


13 


count  out  those  which  failed  to  germinate  and  from  this  determine 
the  percentage  of  good  seeds.  If  this  percentage  falls  greatly  below 
the  standard  for  the  particular  species,  as  indicated  in  the  table  on 
page  24  of  this  bulletin,  the  seeds  are  of  poor  quality  and  should  be 
rejected  if  another  supply  which  is  likely  to  give  better  results  is 
available.  If  no  others  are  to  be  had,  plant  the  seeds  more  thickly 
in  the  rows  than  usual. 

This  method  is  a  good  one  for  small  seeds,  but  is  not  applicable  to 
acorns  and  large  nuts,  which  would  not,  of  course,  be  kept  sufficiently 
moist  by  blotting  paper  to  render  germination  certain.  Such  seeds 
may  be  tested  in  shallow  boxes  of  moist  sand,  as  described  in  Farm¬ 
ers7  Bulletin  409,  p.  14. 

PREPARING  THE  SEED  BED. 

CHOOSING  GROUND  FOR  THE  NURSERY. 

The  bed  in  which  the  seeds  are  to  be  planted  should  be  located  on 
ground  which  is  well  drained.  Level  or  gently  sloping  ground  should 
be  selected,  for  if  it  is  too  steep  the  soil  may  be  washed  away.  If 
possible  to  secure  it,  ground  which  has  been  under  cultivation  for  a 
year  or  more  and  which  is  well  pulverized  is  better  for  the  purpose 
than  new  ground.  Sometimes  the  use  of  such  ground  can  be  secured 
on  the  edge  of  cultivated  fields  or  gardens  bordering  on  the  school 
grounds. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  select  a  site  away  from  the  playground, 
where  it  will  not  be  trampled  upon.  Unless  the  plat  of  ground  to 
be  used  is  protected  properly  in  this  respect,  all  work  done  may  be 
useless. 

If  there  is  any  choice  to  be  had  as  to  the  kind  of  soil,  a  loose, 
sandy  loam  should  be  chosen  rather  than  clay.  In  the  majority  of 
instances,  however,  schools  will  have  to  be  content  to  put  whatever 
soil  is  available  into  as  good  condition  as  possible  under  the  circum¬ 
stances.  It  is  well  to  have  the  seed  bed  in  a  place  where  it  will  not 
be  exposed  too  directly  to  the  sun.  If  possible,  it  should  have  a 
partial  protection  by  being  situated  to  the  east  or  north  of  a  group 
of  trees  or  buildings. 

PREPARING  THE  SOIL. 

Unless  the  land  to  be  used  is  very  rich  and  in  good  condition  for 
the  nursery,  it  is  well  to  enrich  it  in  the  fall  with  well-rotted  manure. 
The  ground  should  then  be  plowed  or  spaded  deeply  and  left  without 
further  preparation  during  the  winter.  In  the  spring,  as  soon  as 
conditions  will  permit,  it  should  again  be  worked  over  with  a  spade 
or  plow  and  thoroughly  pulverized  by  raking  and  harrowing,  until 
all  clods,  stones,  and  rubbish  have  been  removed.  The  better  the 
condition  of  the  soil  the  better  the  results  will  be.  Too  much  atten¬ 
tion  can  not  be  given  to  the  preparation  of  the  soil. 

423 


14 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


SIZE  OF  THE  SEED  BED  AND  ARRANGEMENT  OF  SEEDS. 

The  size  of  the  plat  of  ground  needed  will,  of  course,  depend  upon 
the  amount  and  variety  of  seeds  to  be  sown.  The  seeds  of  the  com¬ 
mon  broadleaf  trees  should  be  planted  in  rows.  If  only  a  few  hun¬ 
dred  are  to  be  grown  and  the  cultivation  is  to  be  done  entirely  by 
hand,  the  rows  may  be  made  only  18  inches  apart.  For  greater 
quantities,  when  a  hand  cultivator  is  to  be  used,  the  rows  had  better 
be  2  feet  or  more  apart. 

The  general  arrangement  of  the  seeds  in  the  rows  should  be  similar 
to  that  of  peas  grown  for  market.  For  example,  if  one  square  rod 
of  ground  is  available,  it  can  be  marked  off  into  11  rows  18  inches 
apart,  and  each  row  will  be  1  rod  long  and  sufficient  to  produce  about 
50  seedlings.  The  capacity  of  the  whole  plat  will  then  be  about  550 
trees.  If  it  is  desired,  each  row  may  be  devoted  to  growing  a  single 
species  of  tree.  In  this  case  a  stake  should  be  driven  at  the  end  of 
each  row  distinctly  labeled  with  the  name  of  the  seed  planted  in  that 
particular  row. 

TREATMENT  OF  SEEDS  PREPARATORY  TO  PLANTING. 

In  order  to  insure  rapid  sprouting  and  growth,  some  tree  seeds 
with  thick,  hard  shells  need  preliminary  treatment  before  planting. 
Seeds  with  soft,  thin  coats,  such  as  those  of  elm,  basswood,  and 
catalpa,  need  no  treatment,  but  seeds  like  those  of  walnut  and  oak 
will  germinate  freely  only  when  they  have  been  buried  in  sand  out 
of  doors  through  the  winter,  as  indicated  in  the  paragraph  on  “  Stor¬ 
ing  the  seeds,”  and  planted  as  soon  as  they  are  taken  from  the  sand. 
The  seeds  of  another  class  of  trees,  such  as  locusts  and  the  coffee  tree, 
require  soaking  in  hot  water  in  order  to  soften  them  enough  to  make 
sprouting  possible.  Immerse  a  quantity  of  the  seeds  in  water  not 
quite  boiling  and  stir  thoroughly  for  several  minutes.  Then  allow 
the  seeds  to  remain  in  the  water  as  it  cools  for  from  twelve  to  twenty- 
four  hours,  stirring  frequently  in  the  meantime.  At  the  end  of  this 
period  the  seeds  should  be  ready  for  planting.  It  is  very  essential 
that  seeds  thus  treated  be  planted  without  being  allowed  to  dry  out. 

PLANTING  THE  SEEDS. 

TIME  FOR  PLANTING.® 

Early  spring  is  ordinarily  the  best  time  to  plant  tree  seeds,  except 
those  of  species,  such  as  silver  maple  and  white  elm,  which  mature  in 
the  late  spring.  It  would  be  difficult  to  keep  these  seeds  over  until 
the  next  spring,  through  the  hot  months  of  the  summer.  Such  seeds 
should,  therefore,  be  planted  as  soon  as  they  ripen.  Certain  other 
seeds,  like  those  of  basswood  and  yellow  poplar,  which  ripen  in  the 
autumn,  will  retain  their  vitality  only  a  few  weeks.  These  seeds 
should  be  planted  in  the  fall. 


423 


a  See  planting  table,  p.24 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


15 


Generally  speaking,  however,  nursery  planting  should  be  done  as 
early  in  the  spring  as  the  ground  can  be  worked.  The  exact  time, 
of  course,  will  vary  in  each  case,  according  to  the  locality  and  the 
season — whether  early  or  late.  A  good  rule  for  spring  sowing  is  to 
plant  the  tree  seeds  as  soon  as  the  soil  and  weather  conditions  become 
suitable  for  the  planting  of  early  vegetable  seeds  in  the  garden. 

SOWING  THE  SEEDS  IN  THE  SEED  BED. 

In  general,  fresh  nuts  and  acorns  of  good  quality  should  be  planted 
2  or  3  inches  apart  in  the  rows,  while  the  seeds  of  ashes,  maples, 
catalpas,  elms,  hackberry,  and  others  in  which  the  average  of  germina¬ 
tion  is  between  45  and  75  per  cent  (see  planting  table,  p.  24,  column 
4)  should  be  spaced  from  J  inch  to  1^  inches  apart.  Seeds  of 
abnormally  low  germinating  power,  such  as  those  of  the  basswood 
and  yellow  poplar,  should  be  sown  three  or  four  seeds  deep  in  the  rows. 
The  depth  of  planting  should  never  be  greater  than  twice  the  average 
diameter  of  the  seeds.  There  is  some  danger  of  planting  the  seeds 
too  deep.  It  is  better  that  they  be  planted  too  shallow  than  that 
they  be  buried  too  deeply  in  the  soil. 

CARE  OF  THE  SEED  BED  AND  SEEDLINGS. 

CULTIVATION  OF  THE  SEEDLINGS  IN  THE  SEED  BED. 

As  soon  as  the  seedlings  are  well  up,  cultivation  between  the  rows 
and  weeding  of  the  bed  should  begin.  Small  beds  can  be  sufficiently 
cultivated  by  hoeing  in  the  same  manner  as  garden  vegetables. 
Weeds  should  be  promptly  removed,  so  that  they  will  not  impair  the 
growth  of  the  young  trees.  Frequent  cultivation  should  be  continued 
throughout  the  summer,  and  will  be  beneficial  if  done  oftener  than  is 
required  merely  to  keep  the  weeds  down.  This  is  especially  true  if 
the  weather  is  hot  and  dry. 

WATERING  THE  SEEDLINGS. 

4 

If  rains  do  not  furnish  enough  moisture,  the  beds  should  be  watered 
once  or  twice  each  week  sufficiently  to  saturate  the  earth  to  a  depth 
of  at  least  6  inches.  A  good  way  to  apply  water  to  the  seed  bed  is  by 
pouring  it  into  shallow  furrows  hollowed  out  between  the  rows  of 
seedlings  and  allowing  it  to  stand  in  these  channels  until  it  soaks 
down.  A  mere  sprinkling  of  water  will  avail  nothing.  Watering 
should  be  done  promptly  and  regularly  whenever  the  soil  moisture 
begins  to  fail.  In  order  to  prevent  rapid  evaporation  from  the  sur¬ 
face,.  it  is  best  to  water  the  beds  in  the  early  piorning  or  toward 
sundown. 

423 


16 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


PROTECTION  OF  THE  SEEDLINGS  DURING  THE  WINTER. 

Some  protection  is  necessary,  or  at  least  beneficial,  in  wintering 
seedlings  in  their  first  season.  In  regions  where  the  winters  are  mild 
and  the  ground  freezes  but  slightly,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  “hill  up” 
the  earth  against  the  rows  to  a  depth  of  from  4  to  6  inches,  care  being 
taken  not  to  bury  the  seedlings.  Where  the  winters  are  severe,  the 
trees  should  have,  in  addition  to  the  banking  with  earth,  a  covering 
of  straw,  leaves,  or  moss  from  6  inches  to  a  foot  in  depth,  held  in  place 
by  branches  or  poles. 

TRANSPLANTING  THE  SEEDLINGS  TO  THE  NURSERY  BED. 

PREPARING  NURSERY  PLANTATION  FOR  SEEDLINGS. 

Broadleaf  seedlings  which  are  1  year  old,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  slow-growing  varieties  such  as  the  hackberry,  are  ready  to  be 
transplanted  from  the  seed  bed  to  a  nursery  plat  or  plantation,  but 
they  are  hardly  large  and  strong  enough  to  be  set  out  in  isolated  loca¬ 
tions  along  the  roadside  or  in  the  lawn.  They  still  require  cultiva¬ 
tion,  and  should  therefore  be  transplanted  to  some  partially  shaded 
field  or  nursery  bed  where  they  may  still  have  care  and  yet  have  more 
room  to  grow  (figs.  4  and  5) .  In  order  to  dispose  of  them  properly,  the 
pupils  may  take  them  to  their  homes  and  set  them  out  along  the  edge 
of  the  garden  plats  until  they  are  large  enough  to  transplant  to 
permanent  sites  (fig.  6),  or  the  school  may  set  them  out  in  a  nursery 
plantation. 

The  pupils  will  probably  derive  more  benefit  if  a  school  plantation 
is  maintained.  In  order  to  provide  for  such  a  plantation,  a  portion 
of  the  ground  available  for  nursery  purposes  should  be  set  aside  to 
receive  the  seedlings  when  they  are  1  year  old.  The  following  year 
another  crop  will  be  ready,  and  a  second  plat  should  be  set  aside  to 
receive  these.  This  will  continue  until  the  first  trees  transplanted 
are  large  enough  to  bear  setting  out  in  the  permanent  locations  selected 
for  them,  when  they  can  be  taken  up  and  removed  from  the  nursery 
bed.  Then  the  rotation  can  be  begun  anew,  using  the  ground  ren¬ 
dered  available  by  the  removal  of  the  first  crop  of  seedlings  for  the 
new  crop  of  yearling  trees.  Such  a  plantation  will  keep  the  trees 
where  they  can  most  easily  be  cared  for  by  the  school,  and  the  visible 
results  of  the  work  done  will  be  more  impressive  because  the  trees 
will  all  be  together  in  one  place. 

TIME  FOR  TRANSPLANTING. 

Spring  is  generally  the  best  season  of  the  year  in  which  to  trans¬ 
plant  trees,  but  in  warm  regions,  where  the  fall  season  changes  slowly 
to  winter,  and  the  winters  are  mild,  forest  trees  may  be  successfully 
transplanted  in  the  fall,  with  the  advantage  that  the  root  growth 

423 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS.  .  17 

which  is  obtained  before  the  ground  freezes  will  enable  the  tree  to 
get  an  early  start  in  the  spring.  In  regions  where  the  winters  are 
severe,  however,  the  seedlings  are  much  safer  if  properly  protected 
in  the  seed  bed  until  spring.  The  transplanting  should  be  done  as 
early  in  the  spring  as  the  ground  can  be  worked. 


Fig.  4. — A  nursery  bed  should  be  situated  where  the  seedlings  will  be  partially. shaded,  as  on  the  north 

or  east  side  of  a  group  of  buildings  or  trees. 

TAKING  UP  THE  SEEDLINGS. 


Success  in  transplanting  seedlings  will  depend  largely  upon  the 
care  with  which  they  are  taken  from  the  seed  bed.  The  best  method 


423 


18 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


is  to  sink  a  spade  deep  into  the  soil  5  or  6  inches  to  one  side  of  the 
young  trees,  pry  upward  with  the  spade  until  the  earth  about  the 
seedlings  is  thoroughly  loosened,  grasp  them  by  the  stems  close  to 
the  ground,  and  gently  raise  them  from  the  soil. 

PRUNING  THE  ROOTS  AND  TOPS. 

If  a  seedling  has  a  large  taproot,  about  one-tliird  of  this  should 
be  removed.  If  there  is  no  taproot,  but  the  tree  has  very  large, 
spreading  side  roots,  these  too  will  need  shortening.  Any  long, 
straggling,  or  broken  roots  should  always  be  trimmed  off. 

The  top  of  the  seedling  should  also  be  trimmed  back  until  it  is 
approximately  the  same  size  as  the  root  system.  Unless  this  is 
done,  the  roots  will  not  be  able  to  supply  food  enough  for  the  crown. 

‘  '  ‘  ”  "  '  '  “ 


3 


Fig.  5. — A  small  nursery  of  broad-leaf  trees  suitable  for  school.  Rows  2-1  feet  apart.  Each  row  contains 
a  single  species,  as  indicated  by  the  label  on  stake  at  end  of  row. 

WRAPPING  AND  PACKING. 

Uprooted  seedlings  suffer  more  or  less  when  exposed  to  the  wind 
and  sun  if  only  for  a  few  moments,  so  great  care  must  be  taken  to 
protect  them.  Sunny  and  windy  weather  should  be  avoided  when 
transplanting  trees,  and  the  seedlings  taken  up  only  on  cloudy, 
damp  days.  As  they  are  lifted  from  the  soil  they  should  be  laid  in 
piles,  roots  together,  and  the  roots  immediately  covered  with  a  few 
shovelfuls  of  moist  earth  until  they  can  be  wrapped  in  wet  burlap 
or  coarse  cloth  of  some  sort.  If  they  are  to  be  sent  any  distance 
the  roots  of  the  trees  should  be  carefully  packed  in  damp  moss  or 
chaff,  and  the  whole  securely  wrapped  with  the  burlap. 

423 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


19 


PLANTING  THE  SEEDLINGS  IN  THE  NURSERY  BED. 

The  ground  in  which  the  seedlings  are  to  be  set  out  temporarily 
until  large  enough  for  planting  along  roadsides  or  in  lawns  should 
be  prepared  in  the  same  manner  as  described  for  the  preparation  of 
the  seedbed.  It  should  be  mellow  and  free  from  grass  and  weeds 
so  as  to  be  easily  cultivated.  The  trees  should  be  set  out  in  rows 
about  2  feet  6  inches  apart,  and  spaced  from  6  inches  to  1  foot  in 
the  rows,  so  as  to  allow  of  easy  cultivation.  As  a  general  rule,  they 
should  be  set  in  the  earth  about  2  or  3  inches  deeper  than  they 
originally  stood.  They  may  be  set  in  a  trench,  or  in  holes  dug  for 
each  tree.  The  roots  should  be  extended  in  their  natural  positions 
and  the  dirt  packed  closely  about  them,  but  not  tamped  so  solidly 
as  to  prevent  the  air  from  penetrating. 

Watering  the  tree  when  it  is  transplanted  is  seldom  necessary. 
It  is  best  not  to  pour  water  into  the  hole  upon  the  exposed  roots  of 


Fig.  6.— The  pupils  may  take  the  young  trees  home  and  set  them  out  along  the  edge  ot  the  garden  until 

large  enough  to  be  set  out  in  permanent  sites. 


the  tree.  If  the  soil  is  very  dry,  the  hole  should  be  dug  some  time 
beforehand  and  filled  with  water.  This  should  be  allowed  to  soak 
into  the  soil  before  the  tree  is  planted.  When  the  hole  is  filled  in, 
leave  a  layer  2  or  3  inches  deep  of  loose,  fine  dirt  on  top.  This  will 
act  as  a  mulch  to  conserve  the  moisture  below. 

CULTIVATION  OF  THE  NURSERY  BED. 

The  trees  transplanted  to  the  nursery  beds  should  be  cultivated 
frequently,  but  not  by  deep  plowing  or  spading,  which  would  injure 
the  roots.  The  weeds  must  be  kept  down  and  the  ground  kept 
loosened  to  a  depth  of  2  or  3  inches  (fig.  7).  The  care  of  the  nursery 
stock  is  in  every  way  similar  to  that  of  the  seedlings  in  the  seed  bed. 

4211 


20  FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 

FINAL  DISPOSAL  OF  YOUNG  TREES. 

PLANTING  ON  SCHOOL  GROUNDS. 

The  final  disposal  of  the  trees  grown  in  the  school  nursery  is  a 
matter  of  much  importance.  The  success  of  the  whole  undertaking 
will  depend  largely  upon  how  many  strong,  desirable  trees  can  be 
saved  and  planted  in  permanent  sites  where  they  will  benefit  the 
school  or  the  community. 

Naturally,  the  first  location  which  suggests  itself  as  a  suitable 
planting  site  is  the  school  ground  itself.  Many  school  sites  are 
without  trees  of  any  sort.  Others  are  filled  with  trees  of  undesirable 
species  which  can  be  replaced  by  better  ones.  Almost  without 
exception  school  sites  can  be  improved  by  judicious  tree  planting. 


Fig.7.— Thetreesin  the  nursery  should  be  cultivated  frequently  to  keep  down  the  weeds  and  loosen  the  soil. 

Before  beginning  to  set  out  the  trees  a  detailed  planting  plan 
should  be  prepared.  This  should  show  the  locations  of  the  buildings 
and  features  of  the  school  ground  which  will  affect  planting,  and 
should  show  specifically  where  the  trees  are  to  be  planted.  This 
plan  should  provide  a  definite  scheme  to  be  followed  in  the  decora¬ 
tion  and  protection  of  the  grounds  and  should  be  carefully  worked 
out  and  as  carefully  observed.  No  specific  directions  for  such  a 
plan  can  be  given  here,  but  the  following  general  rules  should  be 
observed : 

(1)  Sufficient  space  should  be  first  of  ail  set  aside  for  a  playground 
and  no  trees  planted  where  they  will  interfere  with  this.  A  very 

42.°, 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


21 


desirable  feature  is  to  provide  an  open  lawn  directly  in  front  of  the 
building. 

(2)  Group  the  trees  in  masses  as  much  as  possible  instead  of  scat¬ 
tering  them  singly.  This  will  give  a  better  effect  in  beautifying  the 
grounds  and  afford  better  shelter. 

(3)  Avoid  planting  the  trees  in  straight,  formal  rows..  Plant  in 
irregular  groups,  or  along  curved  lines  as  much  as  possible.  A 
shelter  belt  along  the  rear  and  possibly  the  sides  of  the  grounds  is 
desirable,  especially  along  the  north  side,  or  the  sides  from  which 
the  most  storms  come. 

F urther  directions  for  planting  trees  on  school  grounds  will  be 
found  in  Farmers’  Bulletin  134.  This  may  be  had  free  upon  appli¬ 
cation  to  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  Washington, 

D.  C. 

DISTRIBUTION  AMONG  PUPILS  FOR  HOME  PLANTING. 

It  is  probable  that  if  the  trees  grow  well  in  the  nursery  and  are  of 
desirable  species,  there  will  be  a  demand  for  them  on  the  part  of 
the  children  or  their  parents  for  planting  about  their  homes.  As 
elsewhere  suggested,  especially  desirable  young  trees  of  new  or  rare 
species  may  be  awarded  as  prizes  to  those  pupils  who  have  shown 
the  greatest  interest  in  the  nursery  or  have '  been  most  faithful  in 
their  work.  The  awarding  of  these  prize  trees  might  well  form  a 
very  appropriate  exercise  for  an  Arbor  Day  program.  When  trees 
are  to  be  taken  to  the  homes  of  the  pupils,  special  care  must  be 
taken  to  see  that  they  are  properly  wrapped  and  packed,  and  the 
roots  kept  moist  until  transported  to  the  final  destination.  Pupils 
should  be  instructed  to  plant  the  trees  as  soon  as  they  are  unwrapped. 

MAKING  A  SCHOOL  WOODLOT  OR  FOREST  PLANTATION. 

In  some  localities  it  will  be  possible  for  the  school  to  perform  a 
service  to  the  community  and  at  the  same  time  put  into  practice 
one  of  the  most  important  lessons  of  forestry  by  using  the  nursery 
trees  to  reforest  some  tract  of  land  from  which  the  timber  has  been 
cut,  or  to  establish  a  practical  woodlot  on  some  piece  of  unused  land. 
Very  frequently  there  will  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  the  school 
hillsides  which  are  badly  eroded,  and  the  owners  would  be  only  too 
glad  to  have  this  erosion  checked  by  the  planting  of  forest  trees  on 
the  slopes  (fig.  8).  Possibly  a  small  field  or  lot  which  has  been 
sown  to  ordinary  farm  crops  so  long  that  the  soil  is  worn  out  will  be 
available.  Trees  will  grow  well  in  such  soil.  Perhaps  a  small  point 
of  land,  cut  off  from  cultivation  by  streams  or  deep  ditches,  can  be 
found;  or  some  farm  owner  of  the  neighborhood  will  want  to  start  a 
woodlot  or  plant  a  shelter  belt  on  his  place.  In  any  of  these  cases  the 
practice  of  actual  forestry  afforded  by  this  means  of  disposing  of 
the  trees  gives  one  of  the  best  possible  solutions  of  the  problem. 
The  results  will  be  self-evident  and  hence  will  be  the  source  of  much 

423 


22 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


pleasure  and  pride  to  the  school.  Another  advantage  is  that  small 
seedlings,  one  or  two  years  old,  may  be  used  for  establishing  forest 
plantations  of  this  kind,  whereas  larger  trees  are  preferable  for 
planting  for  shade  or  ornament. 

It  will  be  extremely  desirable,  if  the  school  has  opportunity  to 
establish  a  plantation  of  the  sort  mentioned  in  the  preceding  para¬ 
graph,  to  secure  expert  advice  as  to  the  best  methods  of  planting 
and  caring  for  the  trees.  In  many  States  there  are  state  foresters  or 
forestry  commissions  from  which  this  advice  may  be  had  free;  but  in 
.  case  there  is  no  help  to  be  had  from  this  source,  application  should  be 


Fig.  8.— The  trees  may  be  set  out  on  some  barren  hillside  or  plat  of  waste  land. 

made  direct  to  the  Forest  Service  of  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture,  W  ashington,  D.  C.  The  desired  assistance  will  be 
afforded,  either  through  the  nearest  district  office  or  directly  from 
the  Washington  office. 

SALE  OF  NURSERY  STOCK. 

\  oung  f  orest  trees,  suitable  for  planting  in  woodlots  or  forests,  can 
frequently  be  sold  for  good  prices.  Cities  and  towns  may  want  them 
for  street  and  park  planting;  or  the  farmers  of  the  vicinity  may 
purchase  them  for  planting  about  their  homes.  It  will  frequently  be 
possible  for  the  school  which  has  had  reasonable  success  with  its 
nursery  to  sell  the  trees  and  derive  considerable  profit  from  this 
source,  If  there  is  a  commercial  nursery  in  the  vicinity  the  stock 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


23 


of  trees  may  be  sold  to  it.  This  method  of  disposing  of  the  trees  will 
not  give  the  satisfaction  resulting  from  seeing  the  trees  grow  to 
maturity  in  the  woodlot  or  school  grounds,  but  most  schools  can 
make  good  use  of  any  funds  derived  from  the  sale  of  the  trees. 

FIELD  SOWING. 

Trees  like  the  oaks  and  hickories,  which  have  long,  thick  taproots 
and  few  fibrous  roots,  are  difficult  to  transplant.  It  is  therefore 
advisable,  where  possible,  to  plant  the  acorns  or  nuts  in  the  place 
where  they  are  intended  to  remain  permanently.  The  proper  way 
to  plant  them  in  this  case  will  depend  somewhat  on  local  conditions 
and  the  results  desired.  In  general  the  seeds  or  nuts  should  be 
planted  in  holes  or  shallow  furrows  at  whatever  distance  apart  it  is 
desired  to  have  the  trees.  Three  or  four  nuts  should  be  placed  in 
each  hole,  since  mice  and  squirrels  are  likely  to  destroy  some  of  them 
and  some  of  the  nuts  may  fail  to  germinate  even  if  undisturbed. 
The  rows  should  be  straight  in  at  least  one  direction  for  cultivation. 
If  possible  the  plantation  should  be  cultivated  regularly  until  the 
trees  are  large  enough  to  shade  the  ground.  Stock  should  be  kept 
away  from  the  young  trees  so  that  they  will  not  be  destroyed  by  the 
grazing  animals. 


GROWING  TREES  FROM  CUTTINGS. 

The  seeds  of  such  trees  as  the  willow,  cottonwood,  and  poplars 
are  comparatively  difficult  to  collect  and  soon  lose  their  vitality. 
Oil  the  other  hand  these  trees  grow  readily  from  cuttings  made  from 
branches  and  sprouts.  It  would  therefore  be  neither  necessary  nor 
desirable  to  attempt  to  produce  these  trees  from  seeds.  They  may 
be  much  more  quickly  and  successfully  grown  from  cuttings. 

Some  time  in  February  or  March,  just  before  the  spring  growth 
begins,  cuttings  about  10  inches  long  should  be  made  from  strong, 
healthy,  smooth  branches  or  sprouts  of  the  previous  season’s  growth, 
from  one-fourth  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  Cut  the 
twigs  off  square  at  both  ends  with  a  sharp  hatchet,  and  make  the 
upper  cut  just  above  a  bud.  To  prevent  the  cuttings  from  drying 
out  they  may  be  tied  in  bundles,  tops  all  in  one  direction,  and  the 
bundles  buried  in  moist  sand  or  earth  until  wanted  for  planting. 
Freezing  will  not  injure  them. 

In  the  spring  when  the  ground  is  ready  for  planting  it  should  be  pre¬ 
pared  the  same  as  for  the  seed  bed.  The  cuttings  should  be  set  with  a 
spade  or  in  a  furrow,  or  if  the  ground  is  mellow  they  may  be  merely 
thrust  into  the  soil  until  but  one  bud  remains  above  the  surface. 
Better  contact  with  the  soil  will  be  secured  if  they  are  set  somewhat 
slanting;  the  growth  will  be  erect  in  any  case.  The  soil  should  be 
firmly  packed  about  the  cutting  with  the  foot  or  a  tamping  block.  The 
care  and  cultivation  of  cuttings  should  be  the  same  as  for  seedlings. 

423 


Nursery  'planting  table  for  forest  trees. 


24 


FOREST  NURSERIES  FOR  SCHOOLS. 


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423 


a  Difficult  to  transplant  on  account  of  tap  root.  Advisable  to  sow  seeds  in  permanent  sites  in  field  whenever  possible. 
b  Easily  grown  from  cuttings.  Not  necessary  or  advisable  to  attempt  growing  from  seed. 


